Final call for abstracts - 2012 Ocean Sciences Meeting, 20-24 February 2012, Salt Lake City, Utah, USA The deadline for abstract submission to the 2012 Ocean Sciences Meeting is fast approaching (Friday 7 October 2011). Please note that this year we are hosting two separate but related sessions that link animal/predator movement with oceanographic features and conditions: Session Topic 109 "Integrating oceanography and animal tracking - the Ocean Tracking Network (OTN)" will be focused primarily on acoustic tracking and modeling approaches in coastal/continental shelf waters and islands (the focus of OTN) in relation to co-located oceanographic data, while Session Topic 136 "Influences of environmental variability of top predator distribution, abundance and behavior" will be focusing more broadly on top predators and considering pelagic ecology at all spatiotemporal scales from diel periodicity to evolutionary timescales and future climate change. This session will also welcome conservation applications. Below we include the full session descriptions as well as the link to the meeting web site, where abstract submission can be accessed. During abstract submittal please enter the relevant topic session code to ensure that your abstract gets assigned to the appropriate session (note that you will be asked to have a first, second, and third choices under the session topic code portion of the abstract form). The organizers will coordinate abstract assignments according to the overall scientific program but every attempt will be made to accommodate your session request. FULL SESSION DESCRIPTIONS Session Category 08. Climate Change, Environmental Change, Ocean Acidification http://www.sgmeet.com/osm2012/special_sessions08.asp Session Topic 109: INTEGRATING OCEANOGRAPHY AND ANIMAL TRACKING - THE OCEAN TRACKING NETWORK Organizers: Sara Iverson, Dalhousie University, Sara.Iverson@Dal.Ca; John Kocik, NOAA Fisheries Maine Field Station, jkocik@mercury.wh.whoi.edu; David Welch, Kintama Research Services, david.welch@kintama.com; Daniela Turk, Dalhousie University, daniela.turk@Dal.Ca Climate variability, change, and anthropogenic activities affect the distribution, abundance and behavior of marine organisms. Newly available acoustic tracking observations and closer collaboration between oceanography and marine biology research is needed to address how changing ocean dynamics impact ocean ecosystems, animal ecology, and ocean resources.This session aims to bring together both marine biology and oceanography researchers to improve our understanding of the linkages between physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic conditions and the population structure, dynamics, movement, and critical habitat of key marine organisms (from eels to whales). We invite contributions from modeling and observation studies, and those which are planning to use, or could benefit from acoustic tracking and co-located oceanographic data from the Ocean Tracking Network. For inquiries please contact Sara Iverson <Sara.Iverson@DAL.CA>. Session Category 03. Biological Oceanography, Aquatic Biology. http://www.sgmeet.com/osm2012/special_sessions03.asp Session Topic 136: INFLUENCES OF ENVIRONMENTAL VARIABILITY ON TOP PREDATOR DISTRIBUTION, ABUNDANCE AND BEHAVIOR Organizers: Daniel Palacios, JIMAR and NOAA/SWFSC, daniel.palacios@noaa.gov; Mark Baumgartner, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, mbaumgartner@whoi.edu; Steven Bograd, NOAA/SWFSC, steven.bograd@noaa.gov; Elliott Hazen, JIMAR and NOAA/SWFSC, elliott.hazen@noaa.gov; George Shillinger, Center for Ocean Solutions, Stanford University, georges@stanford.edu Patterns in top marine predator distribution, abundance and behavior are influenced by spatial and temporal variability in the ocean occurring at a variety of scales. From diel periodicity in diving and acoustic behavior to distribution shifts caused by climate change, variability in oceanographic conditions and prey distribution can have profound effects on top marine predators. This session seeks to bring together biologists, ecologists, oceanographers, and conservation practitioners who are using cutting-edge instrumentation, numerical and habitat modeling, or other novel methods to investigate relationships between environmental variability and the ecology and/or management of predatory fishes, marine turtles, seabirds, pinnipeds and cetaceans. The session will focus on understanding the linkages between physical and biological processes across a variety of scales and on how these relationships can be used to manage and conserve top predator populations. For inquiries please contact Daniel Palacios <daniel.palacios@noaa.gov>. THE 2012 OCEAN SCIENCES MEETING This joint meeting is an international gathering of more than 4,000 attendees and is being sponsored by The Oceanography Society, the American Society of Limnology and Oceanography and the American Geophysical Union. Please note that: - Only one abstract is permitted per first author, and each abstract must be accompanied by a paid registration. - The deadline for abstract submission is 23:59 U.S. Central Time on 7 October 2011. Because of the anticipated size of this meeting, this deadline will be strictly adhered to. - All submissions must be accompanied by a paid abstract and registration fee. Otherwise, abstracts will not be accepted. Meeting web site: http://www.sgmeet.com/osm2012/default.asp Sara Iverson and Daniel Palacios (for the organizing committees of session Nos. 109 and 136)